Benchmark Study on Civic Engagement and Social Networks
of Youth in Hong Kong
www.info.gov.hk/coy
Content of Presentation• Concept of social capital• Methodology
– Conceptual framework– Survey enumeration results
• Civic engagement and social networks– Network qualities– Network structure– Network transactions
• Related factors– Use of community services– Participation in employment/training programmes– Family functioning– Social support network– Mental health status
• Analysis by age• Causes and consequences of social capital• Social capital indicators
Concept of social capital
• An attribute of individuals and communities
• Two main elements– Social structures (e.g. structures within family,
community or nation)
– Actions between people with social structures, based on trust and expectation of reciprocal treatments
• Represents ties and cohesive force between– Family members
– Members of the same community
– Members from different communities
Operational definitions of social capital• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD):– “Networks together with shared norms, values and understanding
that facilitate co-operation within and among groups”• Australia: 3 dimensions
– Network qualities– Network structure– Network transactions
• World Bank: 3 categories of indicators– Cognitive social capital– Structural social capital– Outcomes of social capital
• Framework adopted in present study:– 8 components of civic engagement and social networks– 3 dimensions– 3 categories
Networkqualities
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
Social capital
Network qualities
Network structure
Network transactions
Social Capital of Youth
Social trust
Associationalinvolvement
Diversity offriendship
Informalsocializing
Civicrallies
Conventionalpolitics
Giving andvolunteering
Faith-basedengagement
CognitiveSocial capital
StructuralSocial capital
Social capitaloutcomes
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
Mental health status
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
Mental healthstatus
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Mental healthstatus
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Social capital
Factors affectingSocial capital
Personal well-being
Economicwell-being
Survey enumeration results
Number %
1. Total number of living quarters sampled 20 297 -
2. Number of living quarters found to be vacant, demolished or non-residential or without household members who could speak Cantonese
1 455 -
3. Number of living quarters eligible for inclusion in the survey (1) – (2)
18 842 100%
4. Number of living quarters successfully enumerated 14 341 76.1%
5. Number of living quarters enumerated with youth 2 511 -
6. Number of youth interviewed 3 556 -
7. Number of living quarters refusing to respond 2 560 13.6%
8. Number of living quarters that could not be contacted
1 941 10.3%
(Survey conducted between Sept 04 and Mar 05)
Index of social trust by economic activity status
5.14.7 4.3 4.2
4.64.9 4.7 4.5 4.85.05.2 4.8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Trust in people Trust in institutions Overall index of social trust
Index of social trust by economic activity status
5.14.7 4.3 4.2
4.64.9 4.7 4.5 4.85.05.2 4.8
1
4
7
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Trust in people Trust in institutions Overall index of social trust
Associational involvement: % participation by economic activity status
38%
24%
17%
33%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Index on diversity of friendship by economic activity status
5.35.35.3 5.2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Informal socializing: social activities with friends, classmates and colleagues in past 12 months by
economic activity status
0%
0%
2%
0%
0%
2%
11%
84%
0%
1%
4%
0%
1%
5%
22%
68%
1%
4%
8%
2%
1%
5%
21%
59%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
No comment
No
Yes, not sure
Yes, each year
Yes, every half a year
Yes, every 2-3 months
Yes, every month
Yes, every week
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Conventional politics: % registered as voters (18-24 age group) by economic activity status
51%48%
1%
36%
63%
1%
51%49%
1%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Yes No No comment
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Civic rallies: % participation in past 12 months by economic activity status
17%
82%
1%
12%
88%
1%
16%
82%
2%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Yes No No comment
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Giving and volunteering: % participation by economic activity status
33%
47%
32%
40%
55%65%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Volunteering Donation in past 12 months
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Giving and volunteering: index on attitude towards volunteering by economic activity status
5.14.9
5.2 4.8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Faith-based engagement: % with religious belief by economic activity status
27%
20% 20%
25%
0%
10%
20%
30%
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Faith-based engagement: % distribution by extent of devotion by economic activity status
Percentage distribution of the respondents who had religious belief by extent
of devotion and by economic activity status
2.3%
2.3%
2.9%
6.5%
45.2%
34.1%
6.8%
1.9%
1.9%
7.9%
9.3%
30.1%
6.0%
2.5%
0.0%
7.5%
7.5%
35.0%
42.5%
5.0%
43.1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
No comment
Not devoted at all
Not quite devoted
Slightly not devoted
Slightly devoted
Quite devoted
Very devoted
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Social capital of youth: observations• Social trust
– Quite high : 4.8 in a scale of 7; Trust in people, higher: 5.1;Trust in institutions, lower: 4.6
• Associational involvement – Low, 33% participation in civic associations
• Diversity of friendship– Quite high: 5.3 in a scale of 7
• Informal socializing– High: 78% weekly social activities in past 12 months
• Conventional politics– Average: 50% of those aged 18-24 registered as voters
• Civic rallies– Very low: 16% participated in past 12 months
• Giving and volunteering– High: attitude, 5.1 in a scale of 7– Average: 48% participation in volunteer work– Average: 59% donations in past 12 months
• Faith-based engagement– Low: 25%
Use of community services: % participation by economic activity status
8.2%
29.0%26.3%
35.2%
1.3% 0.2%0.5% 0.1%
1.1%
21.4%
42.0%
20.4%15.1%
37.2%
9.9%
0.0%
23.0%
29.4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Often Sometimes Seldom Never, noneed
Never, notaware of
Never, otherreasons
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
Employment and training programmes: % participation by economic activity status
46.2%
56.2%
42.3%
1.6%
16.1%
82.7%
1.1%0.1%
53.3%
0.0%0.5%
0.0%0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Yes No, no need No, not aware of No, other reasons
Students
Employed
Not-at-school/not-at-work
Index on availability of help from friends by economic activity status
5.35.35.35.0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Index on rendering of help to friends/neighbours by economic activity status
2.02.12.0 2.0
1
2
3
4
5
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Index on family relationship by economic activity status
3.83.83.83.6
1
2
3
4
5
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Index on parent-child relationship by economic activity status
3.83.83.83.6
1
2
3
4
5
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work
All
Index on mental health by economic activity status
3.23.33.2 3.2
1
2
3
4
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Index on self-esteem by economic activity status
3.02.93.02.8
1
2
3
4
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Index on perception in life by economic activity status
3.53.3
3.6
3.1
1
2
3
4
5
6
Students Employed Not-at-school/not-at-work All
Social Support Network & Personal well-being: observations
• Availability of help– High : 5.3 in a scale of 7
• Rendering of help – Low: 2.0 in a scale of 5
• Family relationship/parent-child relationship– High: 3.8 in a scale of 5
• Mental health– High: 3.2 in a scale of 4
• Perception in life– Average: 3.5 in a scale of 6
• Self-esteem– High: 3.0 in a scale of 4
Analysis by age: Index of trust in people
5.09 5.07
5.14
4.984.96
5.12
5.05
5.17
5.20
5.30
4.9
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of trust in institutions
4.554.49
4.42
4.34 4.344.43
4.50
4.61
4.64
4.86
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5.0
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of diversity of friendship
5.31
5.35 5.34 5.34 5.35
5.40
5.315.33
5.265.26
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of attitude towards volunteering
5.12 5.115.18
4.94 4.94
5.055.08
5.215.145.16
4.5
4.7
4.9
5.1
5.3
5.5
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of availability of help
5.35 5.36
5.245.22 5.21
5.235.26
5.24
5.39
5.21
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of rendering of help
2.02
2.09 2.092.08
2.00
1.95
2.011.99
2.00
1.95
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.1
2.2
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of mental health
3.203.19
3.27
3.21
3.28
3.25
3.19
3.23
3.27
3.31
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of perception of life
3.57
3.493.51
3.32
3.373.353.35
3.52
3.58
3.71
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of self-esteem
2.97
2.94
3.00
2.93
2.97 2.97
2.91
2.95
2.993.02
2.8
2.9
3.0
3.1
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of family relationship
3.81
3.72
3.84
3.78 3.77
3.91
3.76
3.833.84
3.89
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4.0
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: Index of parent-child relationship
3.81
3.75
3.83
3.77 3.77
3.88
3.72
3.803.81
3.85
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
4.0
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Age
Analysis by age: observations• Increases with age
– Diversity of friendship– Rendering of help
• Decreases with age– Trust in people– Trust in institutions– Attitude towards volunteering– Perception of life
• Double-dip pattern (1st dip: around 17-19; 2nd dip: around 21 – 23)– Trust in people– Trust in institutions– Attitude towards volunteering– Availability of help– Mental health– Self-esteem– Family relationship– Parent-child relationship
Mental healthstatus
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groups
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groups
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groupsReligious belief
(devoted/quite devoted)
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Availabilityof help
Family functioning
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groupsReligious belief
(devoted/quite devoted)
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Availabilityof help
Family relationship
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groupsReligious belief
(devoted/quite devoted)
Parent-childrelationship
Mental health
Social trust
Community services
Employment& training
Availabilityof help
Family relationship
Associational involvement
Attitude towards volunteering
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Uniformed/Social services
groupsReligious belief
(devoted/quite devoted)
Parent-childrelationship
Total impact on social capital, social support network and mental health status
FactorsFamily
functioningCommunity
servicesEmployment or
training programme
Social trust 0.352 0.072 -
Associational involvement
0.024 0.198 -
Volunteering 0.208 0.221 -0.003
Availability of help 0.207 0.110 -
Self-esteem 0.360 0.018 -0.032
Mental health 0.344 -0.109 -0.011
Mental healthstatus
Networkqualities
Community services
Employment& training
Social supportnetwork
Family functioning
Networkstructure
Networktransactions
At school At workNot-at-schoolNot-at-work
Self-esteem
Socialtrust
Community services
Employment& training
Availability of help
Family functioning
Associationalinvolvement
Networktransactions
At school
At work
Not-at-schoolNot-at-work
15 – 19 years old
Perception in life
Self-esteem
Socialtrust
Community services
Employment& training
Availabilityof help
Family relationship
Associationalinvolvement
Networktransactions
At school
At work
Not-at-schoolNot-at-work
20 – 24 years old
Perception in life
Overall observations• Social capital of youth
– Higher level of social trust, diversity of friendship and attitude towards volunteering
• Need to translate social capital, at the cognitive level, into action (e.g. participation in civic association and volunteering)
– Not-at-school/not-at-work• Lower
– “Double-dip” pattern• Attention required for youth, at the ages of 17 – 19 and 21 – 23, probably
during transition from school to work/further education
• Personal wellbeing and social support network– Good family functioning, mental health and self-esteem– Not-at-school/not-at-work
• Lower– “Double-dip” pattern– Attention required:
• Relatively lower perception in life• Low willingness to render help to friends/neighbours
Causes and consequences of social capital: observations
• Family functioning is most important– Not only for early adolescents, but also late adolescents– Involvement of family
• Not just limited to home-school cooperation• But also college-home or training institutions-home cooperation
• Community services also important– Attention needed
• Decline in participation with age• Low participation of those employed and not-at-school/not-at-work
• Impact of employment and training programmes on social capital of youth?– Enhancing social capital of youth should be made an
important objective and component of programmes.
Social capital indicators• Network qualities (cognitive social capital)
– Index of trust in people– Index of trust in institutions– Overall index of social trust
• Network structure (structural social capital)– Index of diversity of friendship
• Network transaction (outcomes of social capital)– Index of attitude towards volunteering
• Other factors– Index of family relationship– Index of parent-child relationship– Index of availability of help– Index of rendering help– Index of mental health– Index of perception in life– Index of self-esteem
Thank You